Introducing IndyCar's first all-female team

Grace Autosport team principal Beth Paretta and driver Katherine Legge introduce the first all-female team that will compete for a starting spot in the 2016 Indianapolis 500.(Photo: Bob Goshert / For the Star)Buy Photo

A new concept was introduced Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- an all-female race team.

Grace Autosport seeks to produce a competitive team with a long-term plan to compete in motor sports, specifically the IndyCar Series. The goal is to provide inspiration to girls to close the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.

Katherine Legge, a two-time Indianapolis 500 starter, will drive the car next year.

The team's key roles will be filled by women. Longtime industry leader Beth Paretta, the former head of SRT Motorsports, is the team principal.

Nine women have raced in the 500: Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James, Sarah Fisher, Danica Patrick, Milka Duno, Ana Beatriz, Simona De Silvestro, Pippa Mann and Legge. There are two competing for a spot in next week's race: De Silvestro and Mann. Desire Wilson failed to qualify. Patrick has the highest finish, third in 2005.

"The Brickyard has been a part of a lot of firsts, and we will add to that," Paretta said.

The goal, Paretta said, is to have a women's face on the Borg-Warner Trophy "by the end of the decade."

The group said it has a sponsor in place, but was not ready to make that announcement yet. It is likely Grace Autosport will compete in conjunction with another team, but those conversations are still ongoing.

Grace Autosport's goal is to have a better gender balance among engineers. In 2013, women were just 23.7 percent of the workforce in computer, engineering and science occupations according to the U.S. News & World Report.

"We're not being exclusive," Legge said. "We are just trying to be equal opportunity in a really positive way."

Legge already serves as the STEM ambassador for the Girls Scouts. It was this role that sparked the idea for an all-female IndyCar team. An outlet for girls to believe they belonged in the sport whether that's as a mechanic, engineer or driver.

That's something Legge didn't always have.

"Never do they think there's (not) an opportunity for them because there's nobody doing it," Legge said. "I don't know even when I was go-karting that I ever believed that (a career in racing) was an option. I wanted it to be an option, but because there wasn't anybody doing it, I didn't necessarily think that was for me."

Starting on Friday, Grace Autosport will look to end that notion. The team will begin visiting schools and starting outreach programs to inspire girls to get involved. As of now that includes aerodynamicist Catherine Crawford, motorsports engineer Lauren Elkins, junior designer Jessica Rowe and head of public relations Barbara Burns.

The hope is to recruit from universities and other top institutes to build a ladder program that successfully integrates women in every aspect of Grace Autosport — from public relations to the pit crew — and give members coaching and encouragement to grow.

Paretta wasn't able to produce an expansion plan yet, but the first step would be completing a full IndyCar season -- starting with qualifying, and prospering, in the 100th running of the Indy 500.

Grace Autosport will have just over a year to spread its message before then.

"Motor racing is one of the few sports where men and women can compete side by side," Paretta said. "This is a very visible campaign for women's empowerment."